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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Colleague started coughing and sniffling halfway through the day but just sat there

496 replies

JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 17:27

This isn't a guy who has allergies or anything, it just came on all of a sudden.
I legged it after an hour or two of his random coughs and sniffles. AIBU here or should he have buggered off to WFH after the 3rd or 4th cough? Fun, the wait begins!

OP posts:
Crinkle77 · 28/10/2021 19:59

I'm with you on this one OP. A coll3of mine came in to work recently unwell with a cough. Wouldn't go home and said he'd done a negative LFT but eventually we persuaded him to go. Turned out he did have covid and has given it to someone else in the office (don't know for deffo he caught it from him but the timing fits). Me and everyone else is ok luckily. And for those saying a sniffy nose is a cold and not covid then I know lots of people who thought they had a cold but turned out to be covid. My sister being one of them.

Camblewick · 28/10/2021 20:00

Yeah, I have got quite angry with the blasé attitude people still have towards this virus. There's a threat of restrictions, maybe even lockdowns. But who cares right?
My next project will be canned if they ban us from travelling next year. But who cares, there's only about 30 jobs in the balance if that happens.

You misunderstand. I would have been fairly sympathetic if you had NOT been a knobhead on this thread. But you were, and still are, being aforementioned knobhead.

Nothing to do with your colleague. Everything to do with your lack of communication skills.

MrsWhites · 28/10/2021 20:03

We will never get back to normal if people keep counting every time someone coughs.

If it had been me and my company had reiterated rules about testing before coming into work - when you asked him if he’d prefer working from home and his answer was no, why didn’t you reiterate the rules and say it’s making me uncomfortable with me being pregnant?

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 20:04

@Camblewick

Yeah, I have got quite angry with the blasé attitude people still have towards this virus. There's a threat of restrictions, maybe even lockdowns. But who cares right? My next project will be canned if they ban us from travelling next year. But who cares, there's only about 30 jobs in the balance if that happens.

You misunderstand. I would have been fairly sympathetic if you had NOT been a knobhead on this thread. But you were, and still are, being aforementioned knobhead.

Nothing to do with your colleague. Everything to do with your lack of communication skills.

I just so don't care.
OP posts:
nitsandwormsdodger · 28/10/2021 20:05

Yesterday I sneezed my head off all day today nothing my allergies are all over the place with the weird weather and none of my colleagues know about my allergies

Yabu

Theluggage15 · 28/10/2021 20:09

God get a grip. You sound so unpleasant. I expect people will be delighted not to see you in the office.

BunnytheFriendlyDragon · 28/10/2021 20:09

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

Seeing as the rule is you're not welcome in the office with any coughs, runny noses, weird headaches, fevers or sore throats where I work, I clearly know I'm not being unreasonable in the slightest.

But it's eye-opening to see how people still don't get it. Well, on mumsnet anyway (and this one asshole).

OP I agree generally people should stay at home with their germs but you are a bit U for asking if you are U and then announcing everyone is wrong
FindingMeno · 28/10/2021 20:09

I must admit that I choose to assume people coughing etc have tested and been responsible, but really I know I'm kidding myself if I think that's always the case.
I wouldn't get into conflict over it since I have no idea of the covid status of people on the bus, in the shop queue with me etc.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 20:12

@Theluggage15

God get a grip. You sound so unpleasant. I expect people will be delighted not to see you in the office.
Sorry, where does it say I'm not going in? 😂

I'm a delight actually, I just forgot how far removed mumsnet is from the actual real world when it comes to covid and it's put me in a dreadful mood. I would apologise, if I thought I was wrong.

OP posts:
Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 20:14

@FindingMeno

I must admit that I choose to assume people coughing etc have tested and been responsible, but really I know I'm kidding myself if I think that's always the case. I wouldn't get into conflict over it since I have no idea of the covid status of people on the bus, in the shop queue with me etc.
There's no conflict. No more than usual anyway. All we do at work is argue at the moment.
OP posts:
rrhuth · 28/10/2021 20:16

I would apologise, if I thought I was wrong.

This is how I feel about covid now - people are thick about it and I don't care if I offend them.

'I've got a cough but I'm sure it's just a cold' - people who say that are absolute twats.

user1473878824 · 28/10/2021 20:17

I’m really quite careful with Covid and even I think you’re being ridiculous

Suspiciousmind20 · 28/10/2021 20:18

OP. I have no idea why what you have said has stirred such a hornets nest.

Your colleague should have left to get a test. If you have symptoms you still need to isolate and get a PCR and cough is one of the symptoms that indicate the need for a test.

I’d have been annoyed too. Especially if I was pregnant. The last thing you need is Covid, or any other virus.

I was really hoping that this stupid culture of dose up and come into work would change now but seems not. I think it’s really selfish to come to work when you are actively contagious - it just means that more people will get ill and have time off. I can understand when people don’t get sick pay and can’t work from home but not in this case.

I hope that he stays off tomorrow. Do let the crap LM know. They do have to follow policy and are legally obliged to do everything they can to protect the health of staff.

Hope the deadline gets met and you have an easy time with the rest of your Px.

Oh and to the ‘it’s just a cold!’ brigade. I have Covid. It started with a headache. Then a sore throat. It has felt and looked just like cold (very snotty) except I’ve now lost my smell and taste. If you look at the research, headache is the most commonly noticed symptom. The delta variant is different- the government just haven’t change the guidelines in response to the science yet. But a cough - DOES require self isolation and a test. Doctors couldn’t tell the difference just from what the cough sounds like so neither can you.

Memyselfandfood · 28/10/2021 20:19

Yanbu op, but this thread shows why rates are going up.
I certainly had a cough with covid, so did my 2 friends, so did all my colleagues and my family member! This was this year too!

Memyselfandfood · 28/10/2021 20:21

Any continuous or new cough= test, we do not assume it’s ‘just a cold’. No test, no work.

Original poster
JesusIsAnyNameFree · 28/10/2021 20:24

OP. I have no idea why what you have said has stirred such a hornets nest

I've been quite the moody cow 😂 I'm pretty sure if they had a stressful job, a 3 year old and another on the way, they wouldn't be quite so blasé about someone sitting next to them with a cough. Not that they would ever admit to such a thing, of course.

I hope you recover soonFlowers Other than possible death, what I fear most is not being able to taste chocolate. I hear horror stories of people with no sense of taste after weeks or even months!

OP posts:
itsgettingwierd · 28/10/2021 20:26

@OnlyGin

Breaking news: man possibly has a cold in winter.
Possibly does.

Possibly has covid.

You are meant to test with a new and continuous cough.

It's hardly like he's being asked anything the rest of us haven't been asked the past 18 months

HesterShaw1 · 28/10/2021 20:27

@Memyselfandfood

Yanbu op, but this thread shows why rates are going up. I certainly had a cough with covid, so did my 2 friends, so did all my colleagues and my family member! This was this year too!
Rates are going down actually.
Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting · 28/10/2021 20:34

Teachers are always ignored on threads like this.

Toottooot · 28/10/2021 20:35

Are you vaccinated? You seem awfully concerned catching covid will make you seriously ill.

usernamealreadytaken · 28/10/2021 20:39

I have a stinking cold. Negative LFTs twice this week, now sneezing like mad and an intermittent barking cough. Neg LFT Monday (always test day before going in to office), in the office Tuesday with sniffles warning all my meetings that I had a cold, practicing good hygiene and distancing - every single meeting just said to crack on, didn't even want me to wear a mask (I offered every time).

While you are perfectly within your rights to ask whether your colleague had tested, he's perfectly within his to not disclose his medical information to you; he may have chosen to tell you he hadn't tested and that's his prerogative, whatever you may think.

YABU, and very rude to those who disagree with you, but I'll give you a part free-pass this time because you have a toddler and several other extremely stressful things going on.

Sparklesocks · 28/10/2021 20:43

I just so don't care.

Well clearly you do as you’ve spent 3 hours arguing with people about why you’re not wrong. Not exactly the behaviour of someone who doesn’t care Grin

Terfydactyl · 28/10/2021 20:45

Any coughs? That's ridiculous. If my office was as strict as that I'd never be allowed in as I cough with allergies. I'm currently coughing after having a cold and it will linger for weeks. I'm sure some people think I shouldn't leave the house

Same here, utterly awful cold, worse than usual because I've not had a cold in quite some time. Now I have a really lovely nasal drip and a hacking cough to bring all the gunk up. Will now have the cough all winter it feels like. But still have to go to work.
Would prefer not to leave the house personally but yanno food and stuff.

PurpleOkapi · 28/10/2021 20:49

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

If being in a meeting meant you couldn't leave, wasn't he in the same meeting?

Go ahead and report him to whomever's in charge of this if it will make you feel better. But if you're this worried about possible exposure, it's really up to you to take extra precautions.

Timescale · 28/10/2021 20:49

YANBU but apparently we must be accepting of being infected with whatever germs people have and take no steps to mitigate the spread of covid.

Otherwise we are being ridiculous. I just don’t understand why the uk is currently the worst in the world for case numbers, this is a complete mystery to me.